Copper mine at Kennicott, ca 1910 (THWAITES 315)

Caption on image: Copper mine in Alaska PH Coll 247.652The history of Kennicott began in 1900, when prospectors spotted a patch of green hillside that looked like good grazing ground for their pack horses. The grass, as fate would have it, turned out to be the green glint of copper ore.From that incident, a boom town was born, where 600 workers lived, toiled and played. Within 20 years the strike proved to be the richest known concentration of copper ore in the world, and Kennicott became a company town that included homes, stores, a laundry, school, and even a wood surfaced tennis court. By 1911, a railroad had been built 196 miles through the wilderness to tidewater at Cordova to remove the ore. The centerpiece of the town is a massive 14-story mill building where copper ore was processed for shipment. There is also an ammonia leaching plant, machine shop, and powerhouse which generated steam and electricity. By the 1930's the high-grade ore played out, and when the Kennicott Copper Corporation pulled out in 1938, Kennicott became a ghost town overnight.
Subjects (LCTGM): Kennicott (Alaska); Mountains--Alaska--Kennicott
Subjects (LCSH): Copper mines and mining--Alaska--Kennicott; Kennecott Copper Mine (Alaska)